Re: [PATCH v2 3/3] mm/vma: eliminate mmap_action->error_hook, introduce error_filter

From: David Hildenbrand (Arm)

Date: Mon Jun 01 2026 - 11:29:14 EST


On 5/22/26 18:00, Lorenzo Stoakes wrote:
> Rather than providing a hook, simplify things by providing the ability to
> filter errors. This allows us to more carefully validate the value provided
> and thus ensure only a valid error code is specified, and simplifies the
> interface.
>
> This way, we eliminate all hooks but mmap_prepare and allow only mmap
> actions to be specified (which core mm controls).
>
> This significantly improves robustness and eliminates any unnecessary code
> duplication in driver mmap hooks.
>
> We also update the /dev/mem logic (the only user) to use
> mmap_action->error_filter instead.
>
> Signed-off-by: Lorenzo Stoakes <ljs@xxxxxxxxxx>
> ---
> drivers/char/mem.c | 8 +-------
> include/linux/mm_types.h | 9 +++------
> mm/util.c | 29 +++++++++++++++++++++--------
> tools/testing/vma/include/dup.h | 9 +++------
> 4 files changed, 28 insertions(+), 27 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/drivers/char/mem.c b/drivers/char/mem.c
> index a4297eb39887..11639d988e47 100644
> --- a/drivers/char/mem.c
> +++ b/drivers/char/mem.c
> @@ -322,11 +322,6 @@ static const struct vm_operations_struct mmap_mem_ops = {
> #endif
> };
>
> -static int mmap_filter_error(int err)
> -{
> - return -EAGAIN;
> -}
> -
> static int mmap_mem_prepare(struct vm_area_desc *desc)
> {
> struct file *file = desc->file;
> @@ -362,8 +357,7 @@ static int mmap_mem_prepare(struct vm_area_desc *desc)
>
> /* Remap-pfn-range will mark the range with the I/O flag. */
> mmap_action_remap_full(desc, desc->pgoff);
> - /* We filter remap errors to -EAGAIN. */
> - desc->action.error_hook = mmap_filter_error;
> + desc->action.error_filter = -EAGAIN;
>
> return 0;
> }
> diff --git a/include/linux/mm_types.h b/include/linux/mm_types.h
> index 945c0a5386d6..8d1fb85e7684 100644
> --- a/include/linux/mm_types.h
> +++ b/include/linux/mm_types.h
> @@ -844,13 +844,10 @@ struct mmap_action {
> enum mmap_action_type type;
>
> /*
> - * If specified, this hook is invoked when an error occurred when
> - * attempting the selected action.
> - *
> - * The hook can return an error code in order to filter the error, but
> - * it is not valid to clear the error here.
> + * If non-zero, filter errors that arise from mmap actions such that we
> + * return error_filter instead. Only valid error codes may be specified.

Is that really a filter or rather an "error conversion" / "error override".

"Filter" to my German brain implies that we would ... filter selected error
codes, not convert them to something else?

> */
> - int (*error_hook)(int err);
> + int error_filter;
>
> /*
> * This should be set in rare instances where the operation required
> diff --git a/mm/util.c b/mm/util.c
> index 4e172990afcd..9b4e5432d45a 100644
> --- a/mm/util.c
> +++ b/mm/util.c
> @@ -1414,16 +1414,22 @@ static int mmap_action_finish(struct vm_area_struct *vma,
> */
> len = vma_pages(vma) << PAGE_SHIFT;
> do_munmap(current->mm, vma->vm_start, len, NULL);
> - if (action->error_hook) {
> - /* We may want to filter the error. */
> - err = action->error_hook(err);
> - /* The caller should not clear the error. */
> - VM_WARN_ON_ONCE(!err);
> - }
> - return err;
> +
> + return action->error_filter ?: err;
> }

Out of interest, why does dev/mem require this monstrosity?

If it's really a dev/mem specialty, you could just make it less generic and call
the property

"bool eagain_on_error;"

because surely, we don't want any more such monstrosity?

--
Cheers,

David